Basic Dairy-Free Pesto

Chef Jason of the Vegan Culinary Experience was kind enough to share his basic dairy-free pesto recipe with us here (see below), but once you have it down, take a look at the VCE February issue (which is free to view and download) for his Power Pesto, Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, and Walnut Pesto recipe variations, oh yes, and the Pizza with Pesto and Tofu Ricotta too.

To start us out, Chef Jason has some tips for making, presenting, and enjoying this dairy-free pesto recipe:

PresentationFind a small, white serving dish, about 3 to 4 inches in diameter and place the pesto in that with a small serving spoon. That’s if you’re going to serve it separately. Usually, pesto is either placed in small mound on top of another recipe or spread on top of it.

Time Management If you do not serve this fresh, cover it with a thin layer of olive oil to keep the basil from oxidizing, cover it with plastic wrap, and store it in your refrigerator.

Complementary Food and Drinks Pesto is incredibly versatile. It can be mixed into a soup, thinned out to make a sauce, tossed with veggies, spread on top of something, or be served as a dollop. It can even be used as a dip! One classic recipe with which you can try this is bruschetta. Also, try thinning it out a bit and using it as a thick pasta sauce, lightly coating the pasta.

Where to Shop Trader Joe’s is absolutely the best commercial chain at which to purchase the basil. You can get a big box of organic basil there for just over $2.00. You can also get big bags of pine nuts at Costco for a very good price.

How It Works Dairy-free pesto is fairly easy. It’s basically basil blended with fat to make it rich and the garlic is added for a hint of pungent bite. The pine nuts are the main fatty taste with the olive oil added in to smooth it out. The high fat content is one reason that pesto is served as an accent to a dish.

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